State law allows Florida homeowners to claim up to a $50,000 Homestead Exemption on their primary residence.
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The first $25,000 of this exemption applies to all taxing authorities.
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The second $25,000 excludes School Board taxes and applies to properties with assessed values greater than $50,000.
All Property Tax Exemption Applications are due on or before March 1.
See: How to File a Late Property Tax Exemption Application, or Filing Your Homestead Exemption Application
Automatic Renewal
Once an application has been approved, the exemption will automatically renew annually until the property is sold, is no longer the homeowner's primary residence, or the exemption holder requests that it be removed.
Note: The Homestead Exemption for Seniors with Limited Income and Granny Flat Assessment Reduction do not automatically renew.
It is the duty of the owner of any property with an exemption to promptly notify the Office of the Property Appraiser if use of the property or the status or condition of the owner changes in ways that affect the legitimacy of the exemption (Florida Statutes 196.131 and 196.161 ).
See: How to Cancel Your Homestead Exemption and file the Exemption Cancellation Form to notify the Office of the Property Appraiser of these changes.
Note: A suspected homestead exemption fraud may be reported to the Property Appraisal Homestead Exemption Investigation Unit by calling 3-1-1.
All property owners with a homestead exemption are mailed an automatic Residential Renewal Receipt as a courtesy notice each year. If you still qualify for the exemptions listed on the receipt, then you do not have to do anything else. Retain the receipt for your records.
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If your status has changed (you no longer qualify for any one of the exemptions listed on the receipt), you must indicate which exemptions you are canceling, sign, date and mail the receipt back to the Office of the Property Appraiser .
See: Homestead Exemption - Changes in Status
Penalties for Unreported Change in Status
If any of these changes occurs and the owner fails to notify the Office of the Property Appraiser, the property owner can be back-assessed for 10 years of exempted taxes, plus 15% interest per annum and a penalty of 50% of the taxes exempted.
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